


For Her

by dontknowcats



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Dad!Cullen, Desire Demon(s) (Dragon Age) - Freeform, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-02 23:24:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4077772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontknowcats/pseuds/dontknowcats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stana Lavellan, the daughter of the Inquisitor and her Commander, is dying and her mother finds a way to save her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Her eyes. What was wrong with her eyes? The normal russet brown was shaded over, her irises… glowing purple? A wicked smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she stood before the throne.

“It’s a shame our deal was made at such a late time. I’m not willing to wait until morning to run Thedas,” she sighed, her hand coming to rest upon her cheek as she looked at him across the main hall. The way she moved was different, far too smooth in her motions and her steps heavier, the weight focused on the balls of her feet as she began to walk towards him.

Cullen’s hand gripped tight to the papers he held as she approached. There were still bags beneath her eyes from her constant worry about their daughter and her sudden illness. The healers and surgeons had no way of helping her and she was left, at the tender age of ten, to waste away in her bed or the garden, if it was nice enough out. Atheva always made sure to help Stana if she needed anything, falling asleep beside her during the night after spending her day at the girl’s side.

The fact that she wasn’t there with her now was enough to make Cullen worry, but the way she looked and spoke caused even more alarms to go off in his head. “What’s going on?” He demanded as he took a step back, causing her to step towards him again. He released his grip on the papers and set his right hand upon his sword handle while his left set the reports on an empty table.

“Oh Cullen, you saw how desperate I was getting for help,” she sighed, her smile never faltering, “You should have expected something like this.” A pause as she looked him over. “I missed you. Warm breath on my skin, strong quiet surrounding us as we sat together. Agonizingly long days dissolving at your touch.” She reached out to rest her hand on his, but he sidestepped her and could barely keep himself from yelling.

“She would never-“

“Oh but I did. She did. We did?” The quizzical look on her face made his chest tight. “But don’t worry about her. She’s happy, living her days out with you and your daughter.” His fist tightened around the hilt of his sword and he began to pull it out. “Ahhh, are you willing to do this to us? She may be happy, but she’s still here.”

Cullen pulled his sword quickly, bringing the tip of his blade to her throat. He glared down at her, but felt his stomach knot tightly as the purple faded from her eyes and that cruel smile fall. Her eyes widened in fear and tears welled. “C-Cullen…? What’s… what are you doing?” She whispered, her chest heaving with fearful shallow breaths.

He nearly dropped his sword out of fear of hurting her, but was able to keep his angry gaze level with her. “Atheva… Why? Why did you do it?” He whispered, “Why did you accept a deal with a demon?”

“How-?” Her question was cut off as she realized what was happening. “I couldn’t let her die, Cullen. We’ve only gotten to hold her in our arms for two years. Two. And it’s my fault. I should be the one to make it right,” she said, trying to keep level-headed with her beloved’s sword at her throat. He opened his mouth to speak and she stomped her foot on the ground. “You will get through this. I believe in you. If… If she keeps her word, wait. I know you can do something. You are so brilliant.” The color of her eyes began to change.

“I love you.”

The purple returned, glowing brighter than before. “I hope your discussion with wifey went well,” she said, raising a hand to wipe at her tears. “Emotional. Always nice for a final talk.”

Once again Cullen resisted an emotional urge, keeping his hand from merely slipping and hurting the demon. And Atheva. “Will you help her?”

“Who?”

“Stana,” he growled, “Our _daughter_.”

“What will happen when I do?” Her raised eyebrow was an indicator that she knew his plan. She was ready to give the reigns back to Atheva as soon as he began to cut her neck. The mere thought of having to do such a thing to his wife’s body was enough for his stomach to turn once more.

He lowered his blade and let out a huff of air as he thought. “She will be healed. I won’t try anything.”

Her cocky grin returned, reaching from ear to ear as she heard the news. “I’ll do it eventually. I’d like to have fun first.”

At this he found himself seething and gripped her arm tight in his hand. “You have a deadline. Tomorrow. If she isn’t healed before then, I will have no discretion about removing you from the Inquisition. Even….”

“Even if it means killing us? Oh, what a startlingly noble thing to do,” she sighed, a hand raising to her forehead in a mock swoon. “Tomorrow evening, then. Tonight I celebrate.”

She reached for him, her hands cupping his cheeks and pulling him down so her lips could crash against his. She no longer tasted of a sunny memory, a cool drink to his parched throat. She tasted like the desert heat, the sweetness of lyrium. He pulled himself from her hold as he found himself wanting more.

“Not with me.”

The demon licked her lips, looking up from beneath her lashes at him. “There are plenty of other people willing to celebrate with their Inquisitor. I’ll simply seek them out.”

His mind flooded with images of others touching his wife’s body, her voice moaning their names instead of his, finding pleasure with someone else. His body burned red with anger as he snatched her arm once more. “You won’t. You’re staying by my side where I can watch you.”

She sighed before reaching a hand up to his neck, the tips of her fingers in his hair. “You’re hungry for more. The burn in the back of your throat needs it, _desires_ it. But you’re afraid. Afraid of yourself and what she will say if she returns. Afraid for your daughter. What kind of father does that?”

He could practically smell the liquid on her lips, floating into his nose on her breath. “You will not tempt me.”

“The sweet chains, both old and new, holding you to your positions. How can you deny them both?” She cooed, pulling him down for yet another kiss.

Only for tonight would he give in to what he wanted. Only for tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

Time around him slowed and he watched his sword slash across her front, felt her clothes and skin tear beneath it. As it came away from her sliced torso, he saw her blood dripping off the edge of his metal and spatter upon the floor. His line of sight returned to her, his eyes taking in every inch of her as blood poured onto the floor and stained her usual Skyhold attire.

Her eyes. They had returned to their brown color as tears began to fall. He knew what she was doing, that she was trying to keep her vessel alive by allowing the host to regain control. It wouldn’t work. Stana was gone and the demon inside of his wife had already thrown the Inquisition’s name into the dirt. What he was doing was necessary for the safety of the Inquisition and Thedas.

“Cullen.”

Her voice was enough to break down the strong walls he had built in preparation for this. “Atheva… Close your eyes,” he breathed, trying to keep his voice from cracking.

“It… It didn’t w-work?” Her breathing was shaky as she began to lean forward, hands pressing against her chest. He could barely look at her as he placed a hand on her shoulder to hold her up.

“No. Stana… is gone. She passed weeks ago.”

“Why di… did you take so l-long?” She asked, looking up at him in horror.

How was he to tell her that he was unable to bring himself to kill her when he could easily pretend she was still inside? That he was making love to her only the night before? Kissing her, holding her? That he enjoyed the taste of lyrium on the demon’s lips?

“Please, Atheva, close your eyes.” He felt his tears finally begin to fall, trailing down his cheeks before dropping to the floor to mix with the drops of her blood.

“C-Cullen… I love you,” the elf whispered with a sense of finality. “No ma-atter what you’ve done.”

As her eyes shut, he took a deep breath. His jaw clenched as he tried to be strong enough to reply, to say anything without betraying an already destroyed illusion of strength.

“I love you too.”


End file.
